thebibliofiles

In Aesop’s fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper, the Ants dutifully prepare while the Grasshopper fiddles away. He scoffs at the Ants, pointing out that food is plentiful and they should have fun while they can. When winter hits, the Grasshopper would have died if it weren’t for the help of the ants.  In Kathy Harrison’s Just in Case, we are reminded that a little organization, preparation, and planning can keep our families safe and comfortable when something happens.

Rather than scare us with the ideas that the sky is falling and no one can help up, Kathy Harrison assures her readers that yes, sometimes bad things happen, but not only can you and your family survive, but you can be comfortable, happy, and good neighbors to others. Whether the issue is a rolling blackout because of an overstressed power grid, a harder winter than expected, or even an injury that can leave a family member unable to go grocery shopping for a few weeks, we should know that something CAN and probably WILL happen. It isn’t insane paranoia to plan to keep one’s family comfortable any more than health and car insurance are paranoia. 

Though she is far more self-sufficient than most of us will ever be, she assures us that thriving in a snow storm, a flood, or rolling blackouts is within the average family's grasp. Rather than panicking every time we hear a warning and running to Walmart to buy them out of bottled water and canned foods, she give the reader a flexible but clear method for stocking up a home and getting the whole family involved. She reminds us throughout to be one of the good guys--not hording those last-minute emergency supplies and sharing if possible with some of our less-prepared neighbors.

This is a wonderful handbook for any house than needs suggestions on how to make a 72-hour kit, to make sure the kids don't freak out in emergencies, and to keep a family together, safe, comfortable, and well-fed in any kind of emergency. She isn't telling us how to skin animals or set traps or survive in the brush. Use survival manuals for that. She is showing us how to avoid having to stay in emergency shelters or to need FEMA every time Mother Earth goes a little crazy. This book had the added benefit over many other preparedness guides I’ve seen in giving clear ways to involve the kids in planning, preparation, and preparedness. After reading this, I actually felt like I could do those little things you’re supposed to do with the kids without scaring them—my son can now dial 911 for the police, firemen, or doctors. Next step—fire drills.

As an undergraduate, I had to write a paper for my evolution class on some mystery of evolution. I wanted to pick a topic I didn’t think my professor would know too much about, so I decided to research why human females have menstrual periods. It is a classic example of trying to determine the evolutionary cost/benefit to a part of half the population’s lives. Barash and Lipton (a husband/wife team of evolutionary biologist and psychiatrist) examine this and a handful of other “women’s mysteries” in this highly entertaining, well researched and approachable book.

This book is clearly intended for the reader who may not know all the details behind the theory of evolution, such as sexual versus natural selection or adaptive versus nonadaptive mutations. By reading this book, you’ll not only learn what those mean, you will gain insight into how a wide array of scientists contribute to the explanation of evolutionary mysteries. Not only is it an interesting book, it is a great primer into evolutionary theory—and not just human evolution.

While the chapter on menstruation was old news to me (almost all of the research I used in my paper was used by these authors, though they did leave out a random hypothesis about soy consumption), the chapters on breasts, orgasm, ovulation, and menopause were new. They even took some of the theories I had just accepted (such as breasts being a mimic of the buttocks and orgasm in women being akin to nipples on men—they are just there because of fetal development) and pointed out the flaws with those theories, the support and flaws for other theories, and their own theories. Unlike many books on similar topics, these authors concede that 1) there is no way one theory could explain everything about any of these topics; a constellation of factors could be at play and 2) they just don’t and can’t know all the answers. I do wish the authors spent more time than they did considering the cost of each of these issues. Evolution isn’t just about benefit—it’s about costs. I concede, however, that if they covered the costs as much as I wanted, the book would have been much slower.

Because this book was intended for a non-specialist crowd, some of the information tends to be repeated and some details are left out. However, I think most specialists or even courses on evolution would enjoy adding comments to this book. And let’s face it, half the fun of books showing us an array of hypotheses is ripping them to shreds!

Forbidden Words: Taboos and the Censoring of Language, by Keith Allan and Kate Burridge
4.5/5

Why is it taboo to talk about menstruation, yet a little more acceptable to refer to “Aunt Flo?” How does something go from being offensive to politically correct (such as race or sexual orientation)? Why are some words offensive by merit of association (i.e. niggardly)?

There are words you shouldn’t say in front of children, in mixed company, or to your mother. There are topics best to be avoided. There are terms that get bleeped, politely ignored, and words we tie ourselves into knots to find euphemisms for. These are our forbidden words. They are forbidden because they describe our taboos in frank and blunt ways. We find roundabout ways to describe sex, excrement, eating, menstruation, and death for a reason. The authors of this book explore that reason. They delve into what makes a topic taboo, then into what makes a word taboo. 

In general, the authors do not consider censorship—political reasons for considering certain words or topics off-limits or an organized, mandated way of making them so. They are mainly interested in the limits we put on ourselves, on our understanding of social mores that keeps us from spouting off like George Carlin at a business meeting.

While this is a slow and scholarly read, it is unbelievably useful to anyone interested in language and the anthropology of language. Highly recommended.

Childhood is an unreal world. Children are surrounded by giants with unusual motivations and trying to understand them (or worse, become them) is confusing and frightening. The rules of friendship, devotion, maturation, and secrets are opaque and ever-changing. “When you’re a kid, it’s hard to tell the innocuous secrets from the ones that will kill you if you keep them,” Russell reminds us. Russell captures this and translates these worries, fears, and horrors for us adults. Her attempts at translation make the stories sound magical, or just plain weird, to an adult. We no longer have to imagine how our children view us (because we do forget). Russell has written this book.

She reminds us how important parents are to children, especially how we are viewed in their eyes, in “from Children’s Reminiscences of the Westward Migration.” Though the notion of having the Minotaur for a father is mystical, having parents who fight and then mysteriously make up the next day is not. Wondering how your father sees you is not. “I have been eagerly awaiting just such a disaster. Storms, wolves, snakebite, floods—these are the occasions to find out how your father sees you, how strong and necessary he thinks you are,” the Minotaur’s son tells us. It’s only after reading it that I realized how true that statement is. She peppers her fables and tall tales with these truisms. 

 If you ever want to see how protective a child can feel about his parents, read “Lady Yeti and the Palace of Artificial Snow.” And if you ever wonder to what lengths children regularly go to please parents, read “Accident Brief, Occurrence #00/422.”

Stories capturing the fears of becoming an adult include “Ava wrestles and Alligator” and the title story. The girls in these two stories have such amazing and unbelievable back stories; Ava is left to mind a teenaged older sister who is possessed by male demons and left in charge of an alligator ranch in the middle of nowhere. The girls at St. Lucy’s must leave their werewolf parents and learn to become real humans. And yet these story elements feel normal when the narrators describe their lives. What isn’t normal is becoming a young lady or encountering sexuality. Those are frightening. Werewolf parents and tame alligators are not. Even changing how the world is viewed is frightening, especially when our friends start leaving us behind, as is covered in “Z.Z.’s Sleep-Away Camp for Disordered Dreamers.”

As I was reading these stories, I just kept saying “This is so weird.” I said it so often, my boyfriend decided he had to read the book (this is not a small feat).  As grownups, we are lucky enough to have forgotten all our childish fears and misgivings. As parents, these stories can remind us of what are children are going through. There is rarely clear resolution in these stories. While this is occasionally unsatisfying, I realize that Russell isn’t giving us plot, and plot is the only thing that can be resolved nicely. She is giving us a glimpse of the people we wish we weren’t-our younger selves. And those are never resolved.

1. Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

The Time Traveler’s Wife. I worry that it will disappoint me like The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, The Historian, and Special Topics in Calamity Physics did.
 

2. If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?
Petra from Ender's Game, Thursday Next from the Jasper Fforde series, and Molly Weasley from the Harry Potter series.  I would love to play laser tag with them.  :)
 

3. (Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realize it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

Hmmm…Probably The Pilgrim’s Progress or Ulysses. I’ll go with Ulysses, because it would take wanting my own death to get me to read anything else by Joyce.
 

4. Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?

Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. I read the SparksNotes for it-that was enough, thank you.
 

5. As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realize when you read a review about it/go to ‘reread’ it that you haven’t? Which book?

Yes, it actually happens frequently in my job. I realized I hadn’t actually read The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. I was mixing it up with one of her short stories and The Yellow Wallpaper. 

6. You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (if you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead of personalize the VIP).

I suppose it depends on what he’s a VIP for. But I’ll use an example here-we have a board of trustees and they think it’s cute to ask the librarian for a book suggestion (I don’t do reader’s advisory in my job) and I’d want to recommend something we have in the library. For the scientist on the board, I’d recommend Your Inner Fish. For the lit buffs, I’d go with Why Not Catch-21? .

7. A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with? 
My first instinct is French, so I can read all the Hugo and Dumas in the original French I want. But I think I’d rather Latin.

8. A mischievous fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?

Well, I already read Handmaid’s Tale about once a year, so that’s the easy answer. But if I had to add a new one to the list, I’d probably go with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
 

9. I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?

I’ve learned how to actually review books in a useful way through comments from others, reading other reviews, and rereading my own reviews after a long period of time has elapsed. It’s very instructive.
 

10. That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leather-bound? Is it full of first edition hard covers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favorite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.

My dream HOME library? Comfortable, with various kinds of chairs-big squishy armchairs, a swing, a chaise longue, a loveseat (in case I’m not reading alone)-lots of natural light. In fact, a sunroom looking out into the garden should be attached to the library section (with a curtain that I can draw closed so the books aren’t damaged). Lots of task lighting. Big cherry bookshelves. Thousands of books, each with a home. My current home library has lots of personal touches, too-pictures, knick knacks, kid’s art, etc.-and I’d want that in my dream library, too.

In the classic children’s story Where the Wild Things Are, little Max goes through the life journey of a boy in one night. In this book, authors Steven James and David Thomas describe the steps a parent must take to help nurture a son into the best man his nature allows him to be. They follow the general path all boys take from Wanderer toddler to Warrior man, giving mothers, fathers, and caregivers suggestions on what will probably happen, good ways to respond, and lots of “This too shall pass” assurances.
 

These family therapists draw heavily on the “Love and Logic” parenting camp and rely heavily on anecdotal evidence for their work. Though they are Christian therapists, anyone who has some kind of religious belief can draw good suggestions from their writings (atheists, you’ll just have to skip over any mentions of God-the book is helpful enough to do so). They are somewhat understanding in discussing homosexuality, but for the most part, eschew the topic. With that, their discussions of masturbation and pornography, I’m sure there are plenty of people who will dislike this book, either because they are too conservative or too liberal. I think for a general parenting book, they struck a good balance. But, they also make so many points throughout the book to take what works for your son and ignore what doesn’t, it doesn’t feel like any of their suggestions on these topics need to be followed like dictates anyways.
 

Their descriptions of how boys act are general enough for me to see both my 5 year old autistic son in their descriptions, and my boyfriend’s normal 7 year old. But these general descriptions are also specific enough for me to find good suggestions for interacting with both boys.

I was appreciative of their chapter on boys and their mothers. It is rare that I read something for mothers that I consider that understanding and honest without being insulting or reprimanding.
 

Recommended for parents (foster parents, step parents-whatever) of boys, teachers, and daycare providers.

Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson
4/5

I have to admit: I read this book expecting to dislike it.  Our English department decided to have all Freshmen read the same book.  The last time I read a book assigned by any of our English faculty to a writing class, it was Same Kind of Different as Me.  I was worried I was going to read another bit of "inspirational" schlock.  I was wrong. I think they made an excellent choice. 

This book shows that a singular dedication to a cause, patience, some luck, and the support of those who love you can help one person start a monumental task.  Mortenson tells the story of his life being raised by nearly agnostic missionaries (religion is not a driving force in his life-or at least not in this retelling of it-which is perhaps one reason I liked it so much) with a special needs sister, then of his life climbing and nearly dying in a small town while attempting to climb K2.  In his desire to do something to both honor his sister's memomry and to thank the town that saved him, Mortenson decides to build a school for this town.  He details the difficulties he has, both at home trying to raise the money for the school and in the villiages he must negotiate in order to fulfill his mission.  Rather than try to solve every problem he encounters in his world, Mortenson hones in on one big issue and works to fix that one issue, showing what dedication to ONE cause can do.

This story is both informative and inspirational and would make a good "One Book" selection for a library. 
 

Not only do our verbal greetings have a history that describes us as a culture, our gestures have deep meanings, too. A handshake has a history, as do every one of our common greetings.  They say something about us as a people and as individuals.  So, too, does the greeting made the only legal greeting in Germany: the "Hitler Salute."  We all know what it looks like-the raised right arm, with the greeting "Heil Hitler."
Rather than just include the "Heil Hitler" greeting and salute in a chapter of a larger gestures book, Allbert spends an entire book (albeit a short one) on the history of the salute, what it meant, what it replaced, and how it changed the interactions of the German people.  Each chapter examines a different aspect of this gesture.
 
This is a very interesting insight to the time leading up to WWII and an insight into the German people at the time.  He includes the mistrust that it caused among the Germans and how it usurped their traditional regional greetings. I was particularly intrigued by the notion of using it as a unifying symbol to give the German people a little dignity after the Treaty of Versailles, a clear way to be wholly German.

Allbert is hardly romantic about the Hitler regime, nor is he immediately dismissive of what the salute did to the German people. His history shows the importance of the gesture, both the good (unification, identity) and the bad (mistrust, jingoism).

In Blink, Gladwell examines the ways in which we make quick decisions. In Tipping Point, he shows how tiny trends turn into world-wide phenomena. In Outliers, Gladwell explains that there is more to being great than simply working hard and pulling oneself up by the bootstraps. The American notion of the Protestant work ethic being all one needs to be great is unrealistic and naïve. But, the idea that the rich get everything isn’t true, either. There are many variables, including the amount of effort one puts in to work, family background, and pure dumb luck.

In his classic style, Gladwell explains his concepts through a series of vignettes and anecdotes. These include stories of Canadian hockey players, Jewish lawyers, Bill Gates, and South Korean pilots. Then he expands with some research (not much, but if you’ve read his other books, you’d know that) and more anecdotes. If you enjoyed his other books, you’ll love this. 

The author's main premise in this book is that serial killer novels and movies are the new Gothic novels. In essence, Gothic novels exemplified the hidden and dark side-the unnatural doubles of ourselves. This used to be represented by vampires and ghosts. Now, it is serial killers. The victims-the protagonists who really do just bore us-are really only in the novel to provide a contrast to the unnatural ones. Because there is also a large amount of analysis of the victim, this book is as much a feminist deconstruction of many psycho movies as it is an analysis of how we use the notion of psychopaths in our movies to fill that dark corner in our minds that used to be reserved for vampires.
Included in the deconstructions are reviews of how detectives are portrayed (i.e., the difference between the abilities of one man in Red Dragon and the entire FBI), doubles in movies (Casanova and the Gentleman Caller in Kiss the Girls, Detective Somerset and John Doe in Seven), and the influence of gender in these movies and novels (Clarise Starling, Kay Scarpetta, and myriad victims), and the Wilding of society (removing conscience or motive from crimes, such as American Psycho). Occasionally, parallels are made between real-life serial murderers and the fictional ones, but more often the real-life killers are fictionalized (such as Jack the Ripper).
Before starting this book, keep in mind, it is NOT a leisurely read; it is academic. And I must say, there were some incredibly dry parts to this book. It is very well cited for additional study and would make a great source for any kind of research on medial portrayals of serial killers.

As a side note, I think it's hilarious that the author drew the connection between Patrick Bateman in American Psycho and Batman (in 2000), seeing as Christian Bale played both.